Many forward-looking transfers come from industry and the fields of “space exploration” and “research under space conditions”. The INNOspace Masters competition honours concepts and ideas that solve current challenges in space or non-space industries by transferring knowledge or technology. Entries for ideas will be accepted from 8th November.

Potsdam, 9 November 2018 – Space is an innovation driver and key technology in an increasingly digitalised future. New technologies and processes from industries outside the aerospace industry open up new perspectives for space. They offer entrepreneurs not only better market establishment, but also the opportunity to tap into new markets with additional products. The INNOspace® initiative, initiated by DLR Space Administration at the beginning of 2013, promotes these innovations and transfers as well as the development of new markets.

The INNOspace Masters, as part of the INNOspace® initiative, promotes innovative ideas for the next space generation. The ideas competition was launched for the fourth time at the Aerospace Technologies and Services for Agriculture conference in Potsdam under the key motto “Space Moves!”. Until 8th February 2019, ideas and new concepts will be sought that address current

user problems as well as ideas for key topics – such as sensor technology, new materials, simulation and drive technologies – related to space.

The initiator of the competition, Space Administration at the German Aerospace Center and its partners Airbus, OHB and the German ESA Business Incubation Centres, will award prizes in four different categories. All require different levels of maturity and innovation for the ideas and concepts. In addition to worldwide network contacts, the winners will receive technological and economic support as well as assistance in implementing the project.

“The INNOspace Masters has developed into an important innovation driver in the field of transferring knowledge and technology. Ideas from foreign industries into space, but also ideas from space into industry, bring numerous market advantages in various economic sectors,” says Dr. Franziska Zeitler, Head of Innovation & New Markets, German Aerospace Center (DLR) Space Administration in Bonn.

The competition is aimed at companies, startups, universities and non-university research institutions as well as consortia and individuals whose projects transfer expertise and technologies from other sectors into space travel (spin-in) and vice versa (spin-off).

“We are very proud that the INNOspace Masters plays such an active role in promoting innovative ideas for the next space generation,” says Thorsten Rudolph, Managing Director of the competition organiser AZO. “We have received a total of almost 200 submissions since 2015. 10 winners have been honoured and prizes worth EUR 4.2 million have been awarded.”

At the end of the submission phase on 8th February 2019, all completed submissions will be anonymously evaluated by a jury of experts from the competition partners. The winners of the individual competition categories and the main winner will be announced during an awards ceremony in mid-2019 as part of the INNOspace Masters “Space Moves!” conference at Humboldt Carré, Berlin.